Middle East: Water Supplies

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What priority they accord assistance with water supplies in the West Bank, Gaza and Iraq; and what is their assessment of the significance of water in terms of the future stability of the region.

Baroness Amos: The UK Government fully recognise the significance of water in the Middle East and the need for co-operation within the region over shared water sources. The joint FCO, MoD and DfID Global Conflict Prevention Pool is funding a water resource management project with Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority which will promote regional co-operation and best practice in water management. DfID is also funding a regional study on transboundary water and conflict and how international assistance can most effectively help address these issues.
	DfID provides significant support towards the improvement of water supplies in the West Bank and Gaza and in Iraq. DfID assistance to the Palestinians has helped to improve water and sanitation facilities for over 9,000 people in isolated rural communities in the southern West Bank. DfID also provides advice to the Palestinian Water Authority on the management of water resources, and to the Palestinian Authority Negotiation Affairs Department on negotiations over water with the Israeli Government.
	In Iraq, DfID has committed more than £70 million to infrastructure programmes in the south which are helping to improve water and other essential services for over 5 million people. DfID provided funding for a senior adviser and two water and sanitation advisers to support the Iraqi Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works in 2003 and 2004. The Government are fully aware of the importance of international watercourses to the Iraqi people. The World Bank and United States are providing advice to the Iraqi Government on this issue.

Police Driver: Speed Limits

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action is being taken against Chief Superintendent Owen of the Metropolitan Police whose driver drove at 82 miles per hour on a section of London North Circular road with a 40 mile per hour limit, in a non-emergency situation.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The police can only claim exemption from speed limits in restricted circumstances which are defined by statute. Section 87 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 provides that speed limits do not apply to motor vehicles being used for police, fire brigade or ambulance purposes, but only if observance of the limit would hinder the vehicle in its purpose. The enforcement of road traffic law is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. Action in any particular case where an officer was associated with the possible commission of a criminal offence but not himself directly responsible is a management matter for the chief officer.

Replica Firearms

The Earl of Shrewsbury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to consult on the feasibility and effectiveness of various measures to ban the sale and carrying of any replica firearm other than one which no reasonable person could mistake for a real gun; if so, when they envisage starting the consultation process; and whether the consultation process will include all representative bodies of the United Kingdom gun trade.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government are determined to tackle the problems associated with the misuse of imitation firearms and we have now introduced a Violent Crime Reduction Bill which includes measures to prohibit the manufacture, sale and import of realistic imitations. Those measures will be subject to debate in the normal way, and we will consider carefully all the views expressed, including any put forward by representatives of the gun trade.

Local Government

Lord Smith of Leigh: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are considering a further review of local government.

Baroness Andrews: At present there are no plans to carry out a further review of local government in England—the Government are, however, aware that there is some interest in unitary local government and will listen carefully to the debate.

McKinsey and Co.

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	(a) whether McKinsey and Company Incorporated is currently carrying out any work for the Department for Constitutional Affairs;
	(b) how many projects the firm has carried out for the department during each year in the past five years;
	(c) for each project, how long such work lasted and how many McKinsey and Company employees were involved;
	(d) what was the nature of the contracts with the company; and
	(e) what was the total value of payments made by the department to McKinsey and Company Incorporated in each of the past five years.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: McKinsey and Company Incorporated has not been employed by my department in the past five financial years.

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What grades are the individuals concerned in the allegations of staff bullying and harassment at Waterways Ireland.

Lord Rooker: I understand that the staff involved are employed in a number of different grades within the organisation. I also understand that Waterways Ireland considers it inappropriate publicly to release the grades of the staff involved without their prior consent.

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why an open competition for the post of director of marketing and communications at Waterways Ireland was not held when such a competition was held for the post of director of corporate services.

Lord Rooker: I refer the noble Lord to the joint statement issued on 4 April 2005 from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (DCRGA).
	The statement is available in the Library. Appendix 1.4 deals with the appointment of the director of marketing and communications at Waterways Ireland. The statement notes the investigator's concerns at the process followed in this appointment.
	The method of making this appointment was a matter for the chief executive.
	One of the agreed actions following the report is that, "The CEO will personally ensure that a written policy on recruitment and promotions, based on best practice principles, including fairness and transparency, will be prepared and circulated to all staff in Waterways Ireland and that best public sector practice will be followed in all future appointments and promotions in Waterways Ireland".

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the director of marketing and communications at Waterways Ireland was promoted on appointment; whether such promotion was subject to open competition; and whether such procedure was followed in the case of any other directors.

Lord Rooker: I refer the noble Lord to Appendix 1.4 and Appendix 2 in the joint statement on the Waterways Ireland investigation, issued on 4 April 2005 by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (DCRGA).
	A copy of the statement is available in the Library and I have nothing further to add.

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they were aware of the position held by the director of marketing and communications before his appointment to Waterways Ireland.

Lord Rooker: This is a matter for the Irish Government as the individual concerned occupied a position in the Irish department previously responsible for waterways and it would not be appropriate for Her Majesty's Government to make further comment.

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they propose to take concerning the chief executive of Waterways Ireland, following the recent investigation into staff bullying and harassment.

Lord Rooker: I refer the noble Lord to Appendix 1.4 and Appendix 2 in the joint statement on the Waterways Ireland investigation, issued on 4 April 2005 by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (DCRGA).
	A copy of the statement is available in the Library and I have nothing further to add.

Northern Ireland: Funding for Nationalist and Unionist Festivals

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Northern Ireland Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure has requested its agencies to list funding for unionist and nationalist festivals; and, if so, when and what was the result.

Lord Rooker: In order to respond to previous Questions on this subject, in 2004 the department inquired of its sponsored bodies involved in providing funds to festivals whether funding awarded was recorded as being apportioned to unionist or nationalist festivals.
	None of the bodies provided information regarding the political allegiance or preference of applicants. Perceived community background is not a factor in determining the allocation of funding: assistance is provided on the basis of the merits of the individual festival and the extent to which it meets the objectives of the relevant funding body.

Northern Ireland: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What strategic planning the Northern Ireland Department of Health has undertaken in relation to behaviour support services for children with autism spectrum disorder under the age of 18 years; and what is the outworking of that strategy in each health board area

Lord Rooker: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's priorities for action 2004–05 required boards and trusts to establish multidisciplinary diagnostic, assessment and early intervention teams to provide for improved life outcomes for around 200 children and young people with autism each year. An additional £0.5 million was allocated to health and social services boards for this purpose.
	Health and social services boards provide a range of mainstream and specialist healthcare services for children and adults with autism, including diagnostic assessment services, family support services, respite services, day care services, befriending schemes, mental health services, learning disability services and training for parents and staff in collaboration with specialist voluntary organisations.

Northern Ireland: Private Hire Taxis

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In what form the public consultation on the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland Taxi Studies Group section P29 concerning the possible removal of rooftop signage from private hire taxis was carried out; and how many bodies or individuals were consulted.

Lord Rooker: Public consultation on proposals relating to the regulation of taxis and private hire vehicles (including the proposal to remove roof signs from taxis used for private hire) is being carried out in a variety of forms. The consultation document is available on the Department of the Environment's website. Also, public information meetings, meetings with groups of taxi operators and drivers, and taxi-user focus groups are being held at locations across Northern Ireland. In total, to date, 761 interested bodies and individuals are being consulted and have received copies of the consultation paper. Copies of a summary of the consultation paper have also been sent to approximately 17,500 licensed taxi drivers.

Northern Ireland: Integrated Schools

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 7 March (WA 51–52), how many pupils applying for places in integrated schools in Northern Ireland for September 2005 have had to be turned away because of insufficient capacity.

Lord Rooker: There were 2,253 applications to post-primary integrated schools for the 1,920 places available. Some 455 pupils were turned away from popular schools but there remain 122 vacant places available in undersubscribed integrated schools across Northern Ireland. Information on application/admissions is not available for the primary school sector.

Northern Ireland: Newtownards Police Shifts

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	With regard to the Police district command unit (DCU) based in Newtownards, for each of the Saturday nights which occurred during the month of May:
	(a) at what time the night shift began and ended;
	(b) how many uniformed officers, plain clothed officers and undercover officers were on duty within the DCU at the times concerned;
	(c) how many officers were detailed for foot patrols and how many were assigned to vehicles-bound duties; and
	(d) from what locations the above categories of officers were detailed and where they performed their duties.

Lord Rooker: 1 and 2
	
		
			   
			 Date  
			 Time Uniformpolice Plainclothespolice Undercover police 
			 Saturday 7/5/05 8 pm to 8 am 38 0 0 
			 Saturday 14/5/05 8 pm to 8 am 38 0 0 
			 Saturday 21/5/05 8 pm to 8 am 36 0 0 
			 Saturday 28/5/05 8 pm to 8 am 38 0 0 
		
	
	3
	
		
			 
			 Date Time Mobile Patrol Foot Patrol 
			 Saturday 7/5/05 8 pm to 8 am 18 12 
			 Saturday 14/5/05 8 pm to 8 am 18 12 
			 Saturday 21/5/05 8 pm to 8 am 16 12 
			 Saturday 28/5/05 8 pm to 8 am 18 12 
		
	
	Note. Other officers were detailed for other duties such as custody staff, station duty officer, file preparation throughout the various DCU stations etc.
	4
	The numbers of officers on duty throughout the DCU during the respective night shift is outlined at sub-question 1.
	For operational/patrol security reasons we do not disclose how many officers are on duty at a specific station during a specific time period.

Northern Ireland: Fly Posting

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many prosecutions have been sought in respect of fly posting in East Belfast; and how many of those prosecutions have been successful in each year since 2000.

Lord Rooker: The Department of the Environment's planning service has not sought any prosecution for fly posting in this area in the period in question.

Schools: Open Source Software

Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action is being taken in response to the report from the British Educational Communications and Technology Directorate which has concluded that primary schools could cut computer costs by nearly half if they stopped buying, operating and supporting products from software vendors such as Microsoft.

Lord Adonis: The Government are making significant investment in ICT in schools and always look to ensure schools get the best value for money from this investment. In order to support schools in making effective strategic investments for their ICT the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) report on open source software (OSS) in schools investigated whether the findings from the OGC trials that open source solutions are viable and credible alternatives to proprietary software were applicable to the education sector.
	The project report is based on a very small opportunity sample of 15 schools which varied greatly both in size and the extent to which they used open source software. Although the project findings report significant savings these are not consistent in all areas for the schools and further research would need to be done to confirm that these savings relate to the OSS elements and are achievable in all schools.
	Schools can choose how to develop their ICT and are in no way compelled to take Microsoft software. They are perfectly free to use whatever software they feel meets their needs best and is most cost effective.
	Becta, at the request of the Secretary of State, signed a new agreement with Microsoft Ltd in relation to their licensing framework for schools. Savings to schools from this agreement in England should reach £46 million over three years. Schools are likely to spend 20 to 37 per cent less over three years than might have been expected in the absence of this new agreement.
	Building on the success of the agreement with Microsoft, Becta has introduced a software licensing framework agreement for operating systems and office productivity software. This framework agreement will introduce further improvement in value for money and will provide easier access by schools to as wide a range of products as possible, including open source products.

Government Departments: Open Source Software

Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proportion of desktop computers and workstations in each government department:
	(a) exclusively use open source software;
	(b) use some open source software; and
	(c) use no open source software.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: This information is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Government Departments: IT Outsourcing

Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What incentive companies, to which information technology (IT) support has been outsourced by government departments, have to re-engineer existing IT systems to cut costs.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Public authorities are individually responsible for their own decisions in the purchase of IT goods and services that provide value for money.
	Where the authority has a requirement for re-engineering of its IT systems as part of a contractual outsourcing agreement, it may either include performance obligations within its requirements specification, or seek to incorporate appropriate contract conditions within the contract between itself and the supplier.
	The way in which those authorities specify their requirements to suppliers, within IT contracts, including the provision of mechanisms to incentivise supplier performance, is at the discretion of the authority concerned. This will depend on a number of factors including the authority's IT strategy in support of its business objectives, commercial considerations, and the potential marketplace response.

NHS Estates

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their plans for the future of NHS Estates; and over what timescales such plans will take effect.

Lord Warner: The decision to abolish NHS Estates was announced on 22 July 2004. The final closure date will be 30 September 2005.
	A number of the agency's policy functions will be transferred into the Department of Health. The future arrangements for the NHS ProCure 21 and decontamination programmes are still under review. Responsibility for National Health Service advisory services has transferred to strategic health authorities. The National Patient Safety Agency is in the process of taking on the implementation of programmes concerning food and cleaning, and certain design related projects.
	Inventures trading services are being disposed of through a managed closure.

Licensing Act 2003: Licence Applications

Lord Smith of Leigh: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they will ensure proper and due consideration of licence applications under the Licensing Act 2003, given the extremely low rate of applications and the apparent strategy of applicants to delay their applications to the last minute.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The levels of resources which are, and are to be, devoted to dealing with applications under the 2003 Act are matters for local licensing authorities. However, the Government are mindful of the potential for high numbers of applicants delaying their applications until shortly before the deadlines set, and of the possible effects of this on local resources. Safeguards have therefore been written into the 2003 Act, and the associated guidance.
	Where a licensing authority is unable to complete its consideration of an application to convert an existing licence after two months, the application is deemed to have been granted. This is not unreasonable as all these licences have been approved previously by either the licensing justices, the magistrates' courts or the local authority. Where an applicant seeks a variation of a converted licence, for example, involving an extension of its trading hours, and the licensing authority is unable to complete its consideration within two months, the application is deemed rejected. It would, however, be open to an aggrieved applicant to appeal against the deemed rejection in the magistrates' courts.

Crossrail Bill

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 26 May (WA 25) on the Crossrail Bill:
	(a) what other "additional measures" are being taken in addition to those set out in their answer;
	(b) what are the decisions referred to in paragraph (iii) of the Answer; and
	(c) what parts of the Crossrail project and documentation they consider to be included in the principle of the Bill to be approved on Second Reading.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The additional measures taken include: issuing and widely publicising the availability of the Crossrail environmental statement (ES) through press notices and on both the Department for Transport and Cross London Rail Link (CLRL) websites. Newspaper notices have also been issued alerting people to the publication of the supplementary ES (SES) published on 26 May, and inviting comments on the SES by 8 July. CLRL also issued a newsletter to some 8,500 consultees announcing the extension of the consultation period on the main ES and the consultation on the SES.
	The EIA Directive requires for projects that are likely to have significant effects upon the environment that, "when a decision to grant or refuse consent has been taken the body taking the decision must make available . . . the main reasons and considerations on which the decision is based, and a description, where necessary, of the main mitigation measures". This will be done during the passage of the Bill.
	The convention applicable to the House of Commons is that Second Reading establishes the principle of the Bill, and that principle is not considered by the Select Committee. However, since the Select Committee determines what it will treat as the principle of the Bill (and therefore beyond its remit to consider), it is not possible to be definitive at this stage on what this will be. The House of Lords Select Committee will reach its own decisions on what aspects it will not consider.

Crossrail: High-level Forum

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which organisations are represented on the Crossrail high-level forum.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Crossrail high-level forum is the principal forum for discussion with local authorities regarding the organisation, methods, objectives and timetable for the route development of Crossrail and its consultative processes.
	Invitations to attend its meetings go to local authority leaders, consent-granting bodies, environmental bodies, representatives of the business community and network managers (Network Rail and BAA).
	The minutes and other material of the high-level forum and other forum are available on the Department for Transport's website at www.dft.gov.uk.

Crossrail: Business Case

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 25 May (WA 9), how the conclusions of the July 2004 Montague report into the fundability of Crossrail that it "cannot confirm the deliverability of the business case" and the statement by the Secretary State for Transport, Alistair Darling on 20 July 2004 that a "major funding challenge" remained to be resolved before the project could go forward" (Official Report, Commons, col. 159) provide sufficient evidence of fundability to justify proceeding with a hybrid Bill.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Adrian Montague was asked to assess the proposals contained in Cross London Rail Link's July 2003 Crossrail business case. The Montague report, while indicating scope for important improvements, broadly confirmed CLRL's proposals. In his 20 July 2004 statement, the Secretary of State for Transport made clear that, in the light of the Montague report and the Government's analysis of what needed to be done to give effect to the report's recommendations, he was confident that Crossrail should proceed. In particular, powers should be sought by means of a hybrid Bill at the earliest opportunity.
	The Secretary of State's 20 July 2004 Statement acknowledged that a major funding challenge remains. Work on this is being taken forward by the Department for Transport and HM Treasury, together with Transport for London, and funding proposals for Crossrail will be brought forward during the passage of the Bill.

Sport: Anti-doping

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether being a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Agency code requires funding to be withdrawn from domestic sports in the United Kingdom where the relevant international sports federations do not comply with the code.

Lord Davies of Oldham: As a signatory of the Copenhagen declaration on anti-doping in sport, which outlines our commitment to the World Anti-Doping Agency and its code, the UK would be morally required to take appropriate steps to withhold some or all public funding from sports organisations that are not compliant with the code.

Sport England: Lottery Funding

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What percentage of Sport England lottery funding has been allocated to local authorities in each year since 1995.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Year Total SportEnglandLotteryIncome Awards toLocalAuthorities Percentage ofLotteryIncome toLocalAuthorities 
			 1995–96 £255.2 million £50.6 million 19.8 per cent 
			 1996–97 £263.9 million £60.7 million 23.0 per cent 
			 1997–98 £302.9 million £117.8 million 38.9 per cent 
			 1998–99 £252.7 million £87.8 million 34.8 per cent 
			 1999–2000 £212.5 million £158.1 million 74.4 per cent 
			 2000–01 £223.5 million £100.8 million 45.1 per cent 
			 2001–02 £231.4 million £123.4 million 53.3 per cent 
			 2002–03 £193.7 million £102.6 million 52.9 per cent 
			 2003–04 £170.7 million £54.7 million 32.0 per cent 
			 2004–05 £179.9 million £49.4 million 27.5 per cent 
		
	
	Sport Facilities: Management Contracts

Sport England: Lottery Funding

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether comparative analysis has been undertaken of the performance of management contracts for local authority sports facilities, comparing management by charitable sports trusts, the local authority and the private sector.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Audit Commission is currently undertaking a study to look into the effectiveness of different approaches to the management of local authority sports facilities. This will include an examination of direct delivery by local authorities, and management by trusts and the private sector. The study is expected to report in the autumn of this year.

M6 Toll Road

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How often Midland Expressway, the operator of the M6 toll road, is permitted to raise prices; by what percentage on each occasion; and for how long the operating concession lasts.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The M6 toll concession, awarded to Midland Expressway Limited (MEL) in February 1992, is for 53 years. MEL is entitled to increase maximum toll prices at such rate or rates as it decides in six-monthly periods starting from opening date of the road for public use.

Equality Bill: Girls Participation in School Sport

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether it is their intention that the Equality Bill will have a similar impact upon school sport for girls as did the introduction of Title IX of the Federal Education Act 1972 in the United States

Baroness Crawley: Provisions are included in Part 3 of the Equality Bill which will require public authorities, including schools, to comply with the gender duty of which a fundamental element will be the promotion of equality of opportunity for women, men, girls and boys to ensure that their needs are met.
	As should become clear when that part of the Bill is debated, it will be up to public authorities to set goals and actions in deciding how to promote equality of opportunity.
	We are unable to comment on the impact that the Title IX of the Federal Education Act 1972 had on girls sport in the USA. To do so could only be done at disproportionate cost.
	The Departments for Education and Skills and Culture, Media and Sport are implementing a national PE, school sport and club links strategy to increase participation in sports. The long-term ambition is to offer all children four hours of sport each week by 2010 which will raise the amount and quality of sport undertaken by girls.